Young Cherry Festival

12 December 2025 / Story: Bob Downing; Photos: Rose Smith, Linda downing, Keith Monaghan

Run to Young National Cherry Festival

5-7 December 2025

This was the final run for the year and the planning paid off, with one exception “the weather”. It didn’t rain or snow and the wind didn’t blow. We had picked the hottest days of the year so far to make the trip to Young for the Cherry Festival; 3 cars left the South Coast headed for Goulburn, tops down at a comfortable 20+ deg. 

By the time we reached our coffee stop at Rose’s café it was 33Deg and heading higher. Here we met Christine and Ron from Illawarra before heading to Boorowa (tops up and A/C full on) for lunch, what used to be a lively country town has in the last few years seen many stores and cafes close. After grabbing a coffee and sandwich we continued to our accommodation in Harden where it was 37deg when we arrived. After an afternoon rest we left for Young and the festival proper which commenced on Friday evening with street food and entertainment. The ladies of the group ventured along the street to view the entertainment whilst the gentlemen went in search of a cool venue where thirsts could be quenched and hunger pangs satiated. The girls didn't last long in the street (too hot) and returned to join the boys in the air conditioning. Everyone else had the same idea and the pub was packed. Later, we were joined at the pub by Hella and Mark from Illawarra. After a dinner of varying quality, we left to view the firework display, and yes, it was still hot at 9:00pm. It was a fantastic display and well worth seeing. Next, it was time to return to our accommodation in Harden hoping we didn’t encounter wildlife on the way..

Saturday morning dawned hot again and not pleasant for picking cherries, however as that was the point of the trip it had to be done. So, off we went to Allambie Orchard at Wombat to fill our pickers buckets. After each couple picked about 1kg of cherries (and probably eating a kg before reaching the bucket), it was deemed to be coffee time. Having sampled cherry ice cream, cherry pie and coffee it was time to go and buy some cherries picked by the professionals from Halls Organic Orchard. After returning to the motel to refrigerate our purchases, it was off into town to visit the markets and street entertainment; however, the heat took its toll amongst us with our visit cut short and most were back at the motel by 3:30pm. After sixes (late fivesies) at the Light horse Hotel in Murrumburah we ventured across the road to a recently opened Thai restaurant where we all enjoyed meals of excellent quality.

Sunday morning saw us all leaving the motel by 9am for our journeys home in various directions. Sue and Keith, Rose and Geoff, Linda and I travelled together along some great MX5 roads to Jugiong and then the boring freeway to Goulburn for a stop at the Paragon Café. The meals here were large… just ask Linda about her crepe. The trip back to the coast was along the well-trodden route through Windellama, Oallen Ford, Nerriga and Sassafras, everyone agreed that despite the heat encountered it had been a great weekend away.